Since the 2002 release of h
is intimate debut album\, The Creek Drank The Cradle\, Sam Beam — who reco
rds and performs under the name Iron and Wine — has established himself as
one of the preeminent storytellers in music. His 2004 sophomore album\, O
ur Endless Numbered Days\, was a critical success and led to a busy 2005\,
in which Beam released two EPs (including one with fellow Artists Den alu
ms Calexico). In 2007\, The Shepherd’s Dog was in the Top Ten of Paste Mag
azine’s list of the year’s 100 best albums. January 2011 saw the release o
f Iron and Wine’s fourth album\, Kiss Each Other Clean. The effort is Beam
’s first with Warner Bros Records\, and continues Iron and Wine’s evolutio
n from its lo-fi roots to an expanded sound\, featuring a full seven-piece
band accompanying Beam’s signature understated vocals.